Top 15 Best Survival Games With Great Combat and Adventure

Not enough danger in your everyday life? Here are 15 games for you to play when you want to stay alive under the worst circumstances.

15. Kenshi

Kenshi gameplay

I’m sorry, but you’re not special here. In Kenshi, you start off as a regular guy and then it’s entirely up to you to make yourself into a hero. Or a thief, or farmer, whatever you want. In this massive sandbox game you get to create your own characters, build your own base, research technology, and everything you need to survive and progress. Oh, and watch out for the cannibals.

New enemies and civilizations: Some may want to kill and eat you, others are just different

Climb the social ladder: From dirt poor to the leader of your land, anything is possible

14. Green Hell

Green Hell gameplay

How long could you last on your own in the Amazonian rainforest? Green Hell pairs realistic survival techniques with a psychological twist to create a tense challenge to keep your body and mind healthy. With no way of contacting the outside world, your only company is a loved one communicating with you via radio. Push through the changing, living ecosystem and find out how you ended up there in the first place.

Catch food or enemies: Set realistic traps

How to treat a venom wound: this handy guide will be the difference between life and death

13. 7 Days to Die

7 Days to Die gameplay

This ambitious survival game does it all - a combination of open-world exploration, FPS and RPG elements. No need here to choose between killing zombies, farming or enjoying a rich story. 7 Days to Die creates an exciting experience that sucks you in with all the choices you can make. Follow the story in a pre-built campaign or explore a randomly generated world, alone or with friends. Co-operate or sabotage each other - it’s all for you to decide.

Be a powerful fighter: Kill as many zombies as you like. And then some more.

Track everything: Your character interface lets you see everything you need in one go

12. Breathedge

Breathedge gameplay

A regular guy on his way to a space funeral ends up in the middle of Something Bad. Huge conspiracy bad. Equipped with a roll of duct tape, you can make all the tools you need to survive as long as you’re creative. Fix up the station, decorate it with space junk and do it all with your immortal chicken companion. This ironic take on a survival game is dark, hilarious and full of adventure.

Retina scan: oh god no, where did you get that?

All these things floating around: space junk or space treasure?

11. Don't Starve Together

Don’t Starve Together gameplay

Not quite a sequel, and not a DLC, this is a standalone companion to Don’t Starve. Created for the times you don’t feel like facing the wilderness alone, you can either play with friends or put your life in the hands of random people online. Co-operate to gather resources and defend your home or risk trying it alone. Head out from your base and encounter strange creatures in this mysterious, secretive world.

All alone: You can head out on your own, but it’s risky

Building a life together: Survival is less scary with friends, right?

10. SCUM

SCUM gameplay

There aren't many things that get your heart racing like violence, right? TV network TEC1 have come up with the ultimate entertainment - SCUM. Here prisoners fight for survival on a massive, open world island, featuring forests, beaches and abandoned towns. Join PvP events or go for the strategic long games, using your skills to progress and survive until the end.

Plenty of hiding places: Discover a massive island and everything it has to offer

Helping each other: Maybe there are some people you can trust out here

9. Conan Exiles

Conan Exiles gameplay

Prove that your life was worth saving. Adapt to harsh weather conditions, defend yourself against hungry beasts and build a home. Expand your base and conquer others. Conan Exiles offers you the chance to start from nothing and progress to building an empire.

Chained to the worktable: Craft materials and build a home

Prepare for war: Anyone can attack at any time, so make sure you have a defence plan

8. Resident Evil 2 Remake

Resident Evil 2 Remake gameplay

The 1998 classic returns in an updated version. Follow Claire and Leon as they fight their way out of Raccoon City through hordes of zombies. Learn the truth about the virus that turned the residents into flesh-eating monsters and relive this classic Resident Evil experience. Expect lots of gore, impressive combat and a thrilling storyline.

Our favorite spy: Ada Wong returns!

More blood, guts and fear: The zombies have an upgraded look

7. Ark Survival Evolved

Ark Survival Evolved gameplay

A game that lets you keep dinosaurs - what more could you want? In ARK: Survival Evolved, you find yourself stranded on an island and have to keep yourself alive and safe from the creatures that roam the land. Combining classic features like crafting and farming with capturing and breeding dinosaurs, this makes for a pretty special gaming experience. Learn how to use your tames to carry inventory, fly you around and breed them to develop specific traits.

Watch your back: Weaken creatures in order to capture and tame them

Alone or together: Switch between single-player and multiplayer

6. DayZ

DayZ gameplay

A virus has broken out in Chernaus and people are going completely feral. You're immune - one of the lucky few, depending how you look at it. Survive in this open-world sandbox with 59 other players who all have the same goal as you. Interact with them as you like - forge friendships, strategic alliances or make enemies.

Get your weapon: Survival requires preparation

Stronger together: An unlikely alliance

5. Rust

Rust gameplay

Start completely naked with nothing but a rock to smash things with. Collect resources to make better tools. Use the tools to kill animals for food, build shelter and protect yourself. Just stay alive.

Got it in sight: Make your own tools and weapons

Houseproud: Keep getting better at building and crafting

4. Hunt Showdown

Hunt Showdown gameplay

You're a bounty hunter - someone who kills monsters using a special ability. You can see between worlds and track monsters with your dark sight. Play PvP or PvE, joining your Bloodline, a team of up to 10 hunters. Go up against other teams to take down your bounty. It doesn't stop there though, once you collect your reward you become a target to other hunters. Do what you can to escape and stay alive.

Tracking through the veil: Find your target and take it down

First to the prize may still lose: Prepare to become the hunted

3. The Forest

The Forest gameplay

Your plane crashed in - you guessed it, a forest. It’s a hostile land where you will encounter the weird, the wonderful and the terrifying. Build camp and gather food, but avoid the hungry locals and make sure to do it in daylight. At night, you’ll be busy defending your base.

Friend or food? An animal that doesn’t want to eat you

Not the best neighbors: You share the island with cannibal mutants

2. Oxygen Not Included

Oxygen Not Included gameplay

There’s a lot to think about when starting a colony. How are you going to power it? How will you feed everyone? How will you keep them all alive - or better, happy? Collect resources, set up vital systems and invest in activities and luxuries to keep your residents’ stress levels down. Unhappy colonists only make matters worse.

A well-oiled machine: Build and manage your colony

Everything you need: Gather resources to keep things running smoothly

1. This War of Mine

This War of Mine gameplay

Control a group of regular people as they try to stay alive in an occupied city. Help them find food and medicine and protect their hideout. This War of Mine uses a day and night cycle that affects events in game. Snipers surround you in daytime, but at night you can head out to scavenge for vital items. Be prepared to make tough decisions though, war always requires sacrifices.

Spaces are allowed; punctuation is not allowed except for periods, hyphens, apostrophes, and underscores.

E-mail address *

A valid e-mail address. All e-mails from the system will be sent to this address. The e-mail address is not made public and will only be used if you wish to receive a new password or wish to receive certain news or notifications by e-mail.

Password *

Confirm password *

Provide a password for the new account in both fields. Password must be at least 6 characters.